- Sarrazin was skiing on the course that will be used in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- The 30-year-old suffered a serious fall during training in Italy on Friday.
- The incident has raised concerns about how safe the Olympic track is.
French skier Cyprien Sarrazin underwent surgery after being airlifted to intensive care with a head injury following a serious accident on the slopes of Bormio, Italy.
The 2022 Olympian was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma (bleeding near the brain) after crashing on the slope where he was to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
On Saturday, the French Ski Federation confirmed that the alpine speed star’s brain operation was successful.
Sazzarin, who won the downhill in Bormio last year, was the fastest in the first practice on Thursday.
The Frenchman was looking to repeat the feat in the final training session on Friday, but during his race he hit a pothole and lost control.
The 30-year-old was thrown into the air before falling sharply on his back and sliding down the slope before being caught by the safety net.
Cyprien Sarrazin has undergone successful surgery after a skiing accident in Bormio, Italy
The Frenchman suffered a blow in training that caused him to fly through the air and fall on his back.
Sazzarin had to be flown to the hospital and admitted to intensive care before his surgery.
Emergency services at the scene quickly treated Sazzarin before a helicopter took him to hospital where he was treated.
In a statement, the FFS wrote: “Cyprien Sarrazin underwent surgery last night to decompress an intracranial hematoma.
“The operation went well, but for the moment he remains under anesthesia. We’ll give you more information later today.’
Sazzarin was not the only skier who was airlifted from the circuit, Italian Pietro Zazzi was also taken to a hospital after an incident.
The two accidents have caused concern among the skiing community before the Stelvio slope is used in the Winter Olympics in just over a year.
Sarrazin’s teammate Nils Allegre has criticized the organizers for the treacherous nature of the course.
‘My opinion here is clear, it is that they do not know how to prepare a course,’ he stated. ‘They have been preparing courses for 40 years, but they don’t know how to do anything, except dangerous things.
‘It may not be something everyone agrees with, but it’s my opinion and it’s deeply held.
“It’s not right, I don’t know what they are trying to prove, but a year before organizing the Olympic Games, having a course like this, they don’t deserve to have the Olympic Games here.”